Bad quilt blood

Today the Houston Chronicle reports that two of the Gee's Bend quilters are suing Tinwood Ventures for "exploiting the quiters' naivete about the art world and product licensing." There were two Gee's Bend shows at MFAH: the first in 2002, and the second last year. The former was an astounding revelation of incredible early 20th century folk art; the latter, a disappointing retread of much more recent pieces, with a precipitous drop in both the integrity of the materials and the design aesthetic. With all the marketing and product tie-ins, it sure felt like a cash cow, and the audience were the ones brainlessly tugging on those udders.

4 days agoby glasstire#Repost@morgangrasham ・・・ Check out this article by @glasstire critiquing Clay + Things at @site131 (open until December 14). "The standouts of the show are the collaborative works of Eric and Morgan Grasham. Eric’s ceramic vessels are freestanding objects that are inserted into Morgan’s taxidermied animal hides. The vessels and daggers are functionally removable, though they discourage viewer handling with their grandiose flourishes and mason-stained brilliance. Morgan’s taxidermy is expressive in ways that showcase the majesty of form, and they’re terrifying objects of grace and power. The artists are experts in the language of their respective mediums, and are clear